Up the Bridge: Our step-by-step series on Scientology’s ‘Bridge to Total Freedom’

In March 2013 we started a new feature with Claire Headley’s help. Claire is well known among Scientology watchers for the way that she and her husband Marc escaped from the International Base after many years as “Sea Org” workers. She spent years working with Scientology’s “tech,” and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. And in “Up the Bridge,” she helped us take a trip up L. Ron Hubbard’s famous “Bridge to Total Freedom.” We were all going to train to be Scientologists, and tally up the costs along the way.

As we moved into the upper reaches of the Bridge — the “OT Levels” — we asked former church member Bruce Hines to help us out as well.

Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. Our collaboration with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’, is also available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance WoodwardUP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts